About Council Events

Council organises some major community events and festivals around Wollongong, including Wollongong’s Australia Day celebration, New Year's Eve event and our annual arts and cultural festival, Viva la Gong.

Events Toolkit

Looking to host an event? Wollongong’s got you covered with eight pre-approved sites ready to go! We've put together a comprehensive online toolkit that provides you with everything you need to know about choosing the right site for your event.

We also have an events team who can provide advice when planning an event at any other locations throughout the city.

Sustainable Event Guidelines

Council is encouraging event coordinators to use less of everything and choose products, suppliers and procedures that have less impact on the environment.

Food Stallholders / Vendors at Events

If you're holding a food stall at an event in our area, you must notify Council by completing and submitting our Food Notification Form.

You'll then be issued with an FP number, and this serves as your registration with Council so you can operate at temporary events.

Need help understanding the requirements for food stalls? Give us a call on (02) 4227 7111.

Discouraging the use of balloons at events

Wollongong City Council encourages the use of alternatives to using balloons at outdoor events in order to prevent them from entering our marine environment. A CSIRO study found that balloons are in the top three most harmful pollutants threatening marine wildlife – along with plastic bags and bottles.

In November 2000, the NSW Government enacted the Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Balloons) Act 2000. Since this date, it is illegal to release 20 or more gas-inflated balloons at or about the same time. Every balloon released is littering.

There are however, many ways people can have fun, celebrate, commemorate and remember with environmentally friendly alternatives. Some of these can be reused again and again. Here are some ideas – bubbles; flags, banners, streamers and dancing inflatables; ribbon dancers; plant a native tree, flower garden or butterfly garden; kites and garden spinners; bunting; pinwheels; tissue paper pompoms; drumming; floating flowers; wildflower seed bombs; painted rocks; lighting candles and luminaries; coloured lights or a mass gathering of people to create a shape, word or image can be unifying and beautiful.

“It is never environmentally friendly to litter, even if you claim it will eventually biodegrade.” BalloonsBlow.org